Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle, has ordered the closure of all boarding schools in the state till further notice.
The closure of the school followed the abduction of over 300 students from Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe.
Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle
In a statewide broadcast on Friday, Matawalle said his heart was with the families of those affected by the abduction.
“My dear good people of Zamfara State, this is not a moment to trade blames. The recent twist in the spate of banditry brings to the fore the need for the adoption of a uniform strategy across all the affected states. We can only defeat this formidable challenge through a united response. Politics or any other difference should not stand in the way of the fight against insecurity.
“The fundamental objective of governance is to secure the lives and property of the governed. My administration will never relent in the pursuance of this fundamental objective.
“I appeal to the people of the state to remain calm and resist the evil machinations of those who would want to exploit the current situation to achieve political ends. Insha Allah, with our collective resolve, we would emerge out of this situation stronger,” he said.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the school which is located within the Talata-Mafara Local Government Area of the state came under siege by some bandits at past midnight.
The gunmen were said to have arrived in the school around 1am and loaded the girls in buses.
A resident in Kawaye village identified as Seidu Muhammadu who confirmed the development to SaharaReporters said his daughters, Mansura and Sakina, were among those abducted.
“I’m on my way to Jangebe now to see the situation myself. I was told they invaded the school around 1am,” he said.
SaharaReporters learnt that the bandits arrived with buses and motorcycles, which were used to take the pupils away.
A source said the bandits, some whom appeared like security agents, were in the school for a long time without being challenged by any security outfit.
The incident comes a week after gunmen struck the Government Secondary School in Kagara, Niger State, abducting school pupils, teachers and workers, who have yet to be rescued as of Friday.
On December 11, 2020, 344 secondary schoolboys were also abducted from Kankara in Katsina, the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari, while he was there.
Hundreds of schoolgirls were also kidnapped in Chibok in 2014 by Boko Haram, some of whom have not been released till date.
In February 2018, 110 schoolgirls were also abducted by Boko Haram from the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State. Five died in the process while others were later released, except Leah Sharibu, a Christian girl who refused to renounce her faith.
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